Beggars in boats cause chaos for tourists in Cambodia
Posted : Mon, 21 Apr 2008 04:59:04 GMT
Author : DPA
Phnom Penh - Thousands of tourists visiting Cambodia's famous floating
village have unwittingly spawned a new problem - floating beggars,
local media re****ted Monday. Chong Kneas village has become a popular
side trip from the tourist town of Siem Reap, 300 kilometres north of
the capital, and authorities are desperate to stem the flow of
intrepid beggars that have accompanied the boom, Koh Santepheap daily
newspaper said.
The newspaper re****ted the panhandlers come by outboard, row boat and
even propel themselves in plastic buckets and bathtubs to crowd cruise
boats and solicit tourist cash, and it is beginning to damage the
tourist industry.
"Among around 50 beggar boats, 24 have outboard motors, 28 are row
boats and seven are plastic buckets, but these numbers can vary
depending on the number of tourists," the paper said.
Chong Kneas is home to around 1,000 floating homes, restaurants,
schools, boutique farms and even a Catholic church and is part of many
organized tours for travelers tired of touring temples.
The inhabitants were formerly mainly fishermen, but the lure of cash
has converted more and more to the lucrative begging industry.
Authorities say they do not have the facilities to arrest and detain
the scores of beggars.
Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the problem had become so severe that
the issue would be discussed at a regional meeting on Siem Reap
tourism issues in a fortnight.
"Chong Kneas is a very valuable tourist attraction, so we have to be
ready to provide quality, service, sanitation and security and order,"
he said by telephone.
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